Dance: history, forms, and cultural significance

Dance

My favorite form of social dance is glove light show dancing. It is a type of dance I mostly do at raves with lots of other people. This type of dance can be performed with just about anybody, although in general I tend to do it with members of the opposite sex. I do this dance at raves because they are really dark with flashing lights, which helps to bring a lot of attention to the lights I have on my gloves. I rhythmically move my hands, and the lights on the gloves, to the pulsating music; I move the rest of my body to the music as well. An excellent example of glove light show dancing can be found at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV7I2S9Ccu4.

I think glove light show dancing would be considered part of the communal dance tradition, for the simple fact that there is usually more than one spectator involved in watching the dancing light show. Oftentimes, other people will come up to me when I am doing this dance with their own glove light shows, which really captivates audiences who like to watch as we dance with one another. It can sometimes turn into a competitive sort of thing with crowds of people watching and doing their own glove light shows, but I just do it for the fun, for the emotional release and because I think it really brings out the feeling of the music.

Some of the dance tecktonik dances popular in Europe can be considered communal dances like mine, for the simple fact that they dance to the same kind of music, have the same light effects, and emphasize communal participation instead of just couples. I would say the dance in the video reminds me of communal dancing because of the interplay between the participants, the fact that they are holding hands, and for the fact that they are mostly moving in unison.

I like Alyssa's post on salsa dancing, even though that type of dancing does not directly relate to mine. Both forms of dancing however are exciting and involve thrilling movements to heady, rhythmically pounding music. Although raves are not usually informal clubs, there is some similarity between the settings of salsa night clubs and raves. Plus, there is some element of flirtation in glove light show dancing; this element seems to figure prominently in salsa. I think that the main similarity between my dancing and salsa is the fact that they are both fun to watch, a fact Alyssa alludes to.

I think Chelsea had some good insight into her post about the nature of bachata. I was too familiar with this type of dance until I read her post; I think I have a better understanding of it now. I would still like to find out more about it though. It would have been helpful if she had presented a few more details to help me visualize it. However, this dance is somewhat similar to mine in the fact that it she does it in a fun, social, setting -- which is where I do mine at as well. I also think she is right on in her assessment of the skydiving dancers.